Can having an underactive thyroid cause coughing fits?

I'm pretty certain that I have an underactive thyroid, because I have a lot of the typical symptoms. I'm working on getting it treated, but in the meantime, could thyroid problems be causing me to have huge couging fits? This has been going on for a few weeks - do I also have a chest cold to contend with, or is it just the thyroid?

Answer

This is a very interesting question without a perfect answer. The quick answer is that you cough may be caused by hypothyroidism, but a dry nagging cough has many more possible causes which are more likely than hypothyroidism.
The typical symptoms of hypothyroidism are cold intolerance, fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, depression, constipation, and low heart rate among others. Cough is listed as an unusual symptom in patients with hypothyroidism and while it is possible, there is very little clinical data to absolutely say for sure.
Coughs going on for a few weeks are mostly related to an infection such as a cold or bronchitis. It can also be related to common medications taken such as those in the ACE inhibitor family. Asthma and gastroesophageal reflux can also be causes of a nagging cough.
I suggest you schedule an appointment with your primary care physician who can examine you, review your symptoms and order the needed tests to see whether or not you even have a hypoactive thyroid gland. To do this you'll need to have blood work done to look for your TSH level. This is the only way to determine if your coughing and other symptoms are possibly related to your thyroid. Good luck.

This answer is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

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